National Institute of Corrections and SJI Support Risk Assessments in Sentencing

SJI and the Department of Justice/Federal Bureau of Prisons/National Institute of Corrections (NIC) recently finalized a Partner Grant to support the California Risk Assessment Pilot Project (CALRAPP). The purpose of the project is to explore ways in which criminal offender risk assessment information can be successfully used in adult sentencing and violation of probation proceedings to reduce offender recidivism and improve accountability. The Judicial Council of California, Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) will work jointly with the Chief Probation Officers of California (CPOC) to coordinate the operation and evaluation of pilot locations in several counties.

This project will build upon recent and on-going national and state sentencing reform activities to demonstrate one of the most promising developments in state sentencing and corrections reform – the use of actuarial risk/needs assessment information. A variety of proprietary and non-proprietary risk/needs assessment tools are now increasingly in use by juvenile and adult probation and parole agencies.

Unfortunately, while there are over 15,000 state courts in the U.S., only a handful of state judges and courts have significant experience in using risk/needs assessment information in sentencing offenders or responding to violations of probation. However, the use of accurate risk and needs assessment information is critical in making evidence-based judicial determinations of many recurring sentencing issues.

The California AOC will select 6 sites to participate in this project based on obtaining optimal diversity in location, size, region, availability of resources, and urban/rural settings. The project will target male and female offenders between the ages of 18 and 25 who are residents of the selected pilot counties, convicted of a felony offense, and placed on formal probation. Members of the target population remain members of the project until they are discharged from probation, establish a residence outside the pilot county, or until the conclusion of the project, whichever occurs first. Technical assistance will be provided to the pilot sites throughout the project. The project will facilitate case planning, reduce recidivism, and improve offender accountability.